


dropping hints to oblivious ears

by shulkerb0y



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Oblivious GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Slow Burn, Slow Romance, comic store au, imagine no-one knows dream’s name is clay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29407239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shulkerb0y/pseuds/shulkerb0y
Summary: George just moved to Florida, in search of a new start and new opportunities. Working in a comic store had always been his dream job, and his coworker made it even more fun than he’d expected.Clay however, had never realised just how dense his best friend could be.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	dropping hints to oblivious ears

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a quick start to an idea I had for a DNF fic, the next view chapters will probably be longer but I wanted to get my first ideas written out.
> 
> Any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!!

George had always loved comics. Ever since he was able to hold one in his hand, he would make his way through comic books faster than anything else. So, when he moved to the states, it only made sense to drop off his application at the nearest comic store.  
Multiverse Comics was only small, occupying just a measly corner store on the edge of a boulevard in the south of Florida. Its neon sign, though often a pain to the eyes, attracted many. George couldn’t help but smile whenever he drove past, sometimes even deviating from his drive home to pass by the gaudy front window. When his application was accepted, he almost fell out from his desk chair, the words “Can you start on Monday?” were a blessing to his eyes.

The dress code would’ve seemed odd to some, a graphic tee and jeans would be too casual for most workplaces. He chose to wear a simple, patterned blue shirt with his favourite jeans and sneakers, nothing too special. When he pulled up to the store at 9 am sharp, he already expected to see the sign blaring in his rearview mirror. Instead he had the pleasure of witnessing a man in grey stumble to the door in a clumsy almost panic, dropping his keys on the way and leaving his car door ajar a few feet away. He watched as the man brushed a hand through his mop of dirty blonde hair, his fingers catching in the tangles as he fumbles with the keys in the storefront door. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed.

George watched with a sympathetic smile as the man entered and flicked on the sign, getting out of his car and locking it behind him before walking into the store. The little bell on the door rang softly as he entered,

“Oh, hey!” a warm sounding voice rang out, he looked around for the source before realising the man was crouched behind the checkout counter. George poked his head over the counter curiously, meeting a pair of hazel eyes and a grin.

“You must be… George, right?” The man began, standing up from fixing the register,  
“It’s great to have you here, we’ve been down a bunch of staff for so long.”

“I’m Clay, by the way,”

———————————————

Clay had always loved comics. He would always spend his afternoons in his father’s little comic store on the corner of a quiet boulevard, flicking through any leaflet he could get his hands on. So when his father decided to move on from the business, it was entrusted to him. He managed it quite well, fitting shifts in around his streaming ‘career’ came easily, especially when he tried to fit that career around a particular sleep deprived british man.

So when he saw that very man submit an application to his store, he almost passed away then and there. He thought George didn’t know where he lives, or where he worked, hell, George didn’t even know his real name. His pseudonym helped him remain elusive, but it felt so unfair to keep it from his friends… The most unfair part was that he knew he’d have to keep it hidden, even as he stood face to face with one of his best friends, for fear of ruining all of the secrecy he’d built up.

He hadn’t even had the chance to open the store on the fateful morning before he recognised George in the parking lot, silently cursing how his alarm hadn’t rang and how he had barely enough time to pull on a wrinkled sweatshirt. He hated how his limbs failed to cooperate as he fumbled his way to the door, fumbled the keys into the lock and fumbled his way behind the counter. Clay crouched down behind the cash register, using the reflection of his phone screen to smooth out his bed head while unlocking the cash tray.

He gave a quick hello to George as he walked in, smiling up as his friend peered over the countertop. The two got to work quickly, introducing themselves a little while they set up shop, George dropping off his belongings in the back room quickly before returning to line up the new volumes on the tall shelves.

“So, that’s enough boring stuff about me,” Clay finished with a soft huff, collapsing a the box in his arms swiftly,  
“What about you? What made you want to work here?”

George fumbled with his own box, tearing away the tape to collapse it with far less grace,  
“My dad used to show me comics all the time, I think they were the first thing I ever read, maybe it was the bright colours?”

“Makes sense, kids love bright things…” Clay slumped down into the comfy chair behind the cash register,  
“This place used to be my dad’s actually, got passed down to me when he got too old to tell his she-hulk from his regular hulk, heh…”

The two shared a gentle laugh, George gripping at his sides while his chest shook with giggles. Clay couldn’t stop himself from glancing over, his eyes flitting from the man’s bright smile to the little creases at the corners of his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, silently thanking the universe for not letting George notice his best friend in the flesh before him. He sat there, wondering if he should tell him. The fear of rejection washed over him again, however, and he pushed the thought away for another day.

—————————————————————

The day went by without incident. Only a few customers stopped by, some schoolboys on their walk home and a few lost people from out of town looking for directions. Soon enough, the pair were counting the few dollars they made and starting to lock up shop.

“6pm? I thought you were open later than that, Clay?” George asked, writing down the earnings and locking the cash tray. Upon hearing no response, he turned to look for his coworker,  
“Clay?”

He jumped, startled, not used to hearing that accented voice calling him by that name,  
“O-oh… Yeah, not many people go comic shopping this late so I figured I’d close up early,”

“We do run a game night on Saturdays though, so we stay open a couple extra hours,”

The shorter man finished up, returning to the back room to retrieve his things. Clay followed him back, twirling the keys to the front on one finger, a small paper scrap in his other hand. He pinched it between his index and middle, tapping George on the shoulder and waving it a little. He took it and stashed it in his pocket absentmindedly before hoisting his bag over his shoulder,

“Sorry if it seems like I’m rushing off,” He began, half out the door already,  
“I had something planned tonight and it completely slipped my mind, I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Sure thing George, have a good night!”

Clay sighed, wondering if the man had even noticed the number and little smile on   
his note.

—————————————————————

George dropped off his things on his bed and switched on his pc, running to quickly grab a drink as the machine whirred to life. Minecraft loaded quickly, surprisingly. He’d expected to wait a half minute for it, but it was up in seconds. His OBS loaded up and he checked his hair in the webcam, flashing it a winning smile before opening discord and starting stream.

“Hey chat! How are you all?” He laughed at the responses from the viewers,  
“Yeah I know, new setup! It’s a little wonky right now, because I only got here last week, but I promise it’ll be looking good soon.”

He joined onto the SMP and switched scenes, watching as all of his friends typed their hellos in the chat. Almost as if he had teleported, Dream was there in an instant, crouching aggressively in front of him. He hopped into the vc.

“Hey Dream!”  
“You’re late George,” Dream whined jokingly into the mic, “I missed you…”  
“Oh hush, I was at work.”

“Oh, I know” was what Dream wanted to say, knowing for a fact now that George was oblivious as ever. He wondered quietly if he’d read the note, wondering if he’d even made the connection. He heard the other man move his mic, before muting it. Worried, he asked out the the silent call,

“George?”

The brit unmuted, laughing a little as he crinkled a small piece of paper, holding it up to his webcam, but not revealing the numbers.

“My coworker gave me this, I didn’t even realise it had his number on it”

“Oh wow…” Dream responded with fake surprise, rolling his eyes a little. The chat made the connection immediately, erupting into all caps shouts of ‘DREAM’ or ‘YOU MET DREAM?” before George responded with another soft laugh.

“Haha no, chat, not Dream.” He began, “It’s my coworker Clay, I bet Dream’s jealous though…”

That earned a little huff from the ‘faceless’ man.


End file.
